# US 11,305,945 B2 · Continuously circulating container conveyor device in a packaging machine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,305,945 B2 - Document ID: US11305945B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/982,116 - Filed: 2019-03-20 - Published: 2021-01-28 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2018-03-20 - Assignees: Erca - Applicants: Erca S.A.S. - Inventors: Achim Stiegler; Marcel Pilat; Moritz Glück; Timo Graf; Daniel Kurr; Daniel Vaas - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305945B2 ## CPC - B65G 35/066: {the bar or the tube being provided with a helical or annular channel} - B65B 3/04: Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles - B65G 33/06: conveyed and guided by parallel screws - B65G 35/06: comprising a load-carrier moving along a path, e.g. a closed path, and adapted to be engaged by any one of a series of traction elements spaced along the path (effecting drive at two or more points spaced along the length of an endless conveyor B65G23/32) - B65G 35/08: comprising trains of unconnected load-carriers, e.g. belt sections, movable in a path, e.g. a closed path, adapted to contact each other and to be propelled by means arranged to engage each load-carrier in turn - B65G 37/005: {comprising two or more co-operating conveying elements with parallel longitudinal axes (the conveying elements being endless surfaces B65G15/10)} - B65G 47/846: {Star-shaped wheels or wheels equipped with article-engaging elements} - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) - B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00) ## Abstract The invention relates to a container conveyor device (10) in a packaging machine having a container carrier (13) with a plurality of container receptacles (15). At least two rotary-driven linear conveyors (11, 28) are provided, and the container carrier (13) has at least one engagement part (14) which can be brought into engagement with the linear conveyors (11, 28). Two curved conveyors (20, 34) each have a curved guide track (21, 35) with which at least one projection of the container carrier (13) can be brought into engagement. A plurality of container carriers (13) can be transported along the upper linear conveyor (11) in a row with a mutual first spacing of less than 30 mm and at an average speed V0. The container carriers can be transported along the lower linear conveyor (28) with a mutual second spacing which is greater than the first spacing and at an average speed Vu, where Vu≥1.5 V0. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A continuously circulating container conveyor device in a packaging machine comprising: at least a plurality of plate-shaped container carriers having a plurality of container receptacles, at least two linear conveyors arranged above one another, each one of said linear conveyors comprising two rotary driven screw conveyors arranged at a distance parallel next to each other, at least one of the container carriers being arranged to bridge the distance between the screw conveyors and carrying at least one engagement part on respective front sides respectively facing the screw conveyors, said engagement part being adapted to engage between windings of the screw conveyors for transferring a drive movement, at least two curved conveyors, each curved conveyor having a curved guide track and a rotating drive device having at least one engagement receptacle adapted to be brought into engagement with the container carriers, the curved conveyors being arranged in transport direction between the two linear conveyors at respective ends of said linear conveyors, so that each linear conveyor is followed by one of the curved conveyor in the transport direction, wherein at the end of the screw conveyors the container carriers can be disengaged from them and can be brought into engagement with the rotating drive device of the following curved conveyor, wherein the linear conveyors and the curved conveyors form a circulating transport track, the plurality of container carriers being configured to be transported along the upper linear conveyor in a series with a mutual 1st spacing of less than 30 mm and at an average speed Vo and to be transported along the lower linear conveyor with a mutual 2nd spacing, at an average speed Vu, the 2nd spacing being greater than the 1st spacing, and the speed Vu being greater than the speed Vo with Vu≥1.5 Vo. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The container conveyor device according to claim 1, wherein Vu≥2.5 Vo. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The container conveyor device according to claim 2, wherein a rail is assigned to each screw conveyor, upon which rail the container carriers can be moved. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The container conveyor device according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the container carriers has a plurality of rollers on the front sides respectively facing the screw conveyors, said rollers on each front side being spaced apart in the transport direction, the at least one of the container carriers being supported on the rails with said plurality of rollers. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The container conveyor device according to claim 4, wherein one of the engagement parts is mounted on a side of the respective rollers averted from the container carrier. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The container conveyor device according to claim 1, wherein the 1st spacing is less than 10 mm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The container conveyor device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the screw conveyors is formed from a plurality of screw conveyors parts arranged axially behind one another, said screw conveyor parts being connected to one another in rotationally fixed manner. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The container conveyor device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the curved conveyor has two guide carriers arranged at a distance next to each other, a guide track being provided at each guide carrier. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The container conveyor device according to claim 1, wherein the rotating drive device of at least one of the curved conveyor has two rotary driven rotors arranged at a distance next to each other, each of said rotor having several rotor arms arranged distributed over a circumference. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The container conveyor device according to claim 9, wherein at least one of the engagement receptacles is arranged on each of the rotor arms. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The container conveyor device according to claim 10, wherein the at least one of the engagement receptacles is arranged on a radially outer free end of the respective rotor arm. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The container conveyor device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the engagement receptacles can be brought into engagement with the engagement parts of the container carriers. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The container conveyor device according to claim 1, wherein the screw conveyors of the respective linear conveyors are substantially structurally identical and the screw conveyors of the lower linear conveyors are driven at a higher speed than the screw conveyors of the upper linear conveyors. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A packaging machine comprising a continuously circulating container conveyor device according to claim 1. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A cup filling machine comprising a continuously circulating container conveyor device according to claim 1.